Finding Joy in Healthcare: Stories of Resilience

The journey of a healthcare professional is often described as a calling—one filled with opportunities to make a profound difference in the lives of others. But amid the long hours, emotional challenges, and relentless demands, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the joy that first inspired you to pursue this path. If you’ve ever wondered how to rediscover the spark, you’re not alone. Let’s explore how stories of resilience and practical strategies can help you find joy in medicine again.

The Importance of Joy in Healthcare

Joy is more than a fleeting emotion; it’s a vital part of professional fulfillment and personal well-being. Research shows that healthcare workers who experience joy in their work are more engaged, less prone to burnout, and better equipped to provide compassionate care. Rediscovering joy doesn’t just benefit you—it also positively impacts your patients, colleagues, and workplace culture.

Stories of Resilience: Inspiration from the Field

Here is a real-life example of healthcare professionals who found a way to reignite their passion for medicine:

Physician Burnout. Such a buzz word these days. Lots of classes to help you become resilient. To know the signs. Finally, a problem being addressed. Or is it? There still seems to be some doubt about physician burnout being real. We talk a lot about how to prevent physician burnout, which is wonderful, but what do we do with a physician who is already burnt out?

I was a practicing gynecologist for over 20 years when I began to suffer from signs of burnout. I didn’t recognize them. I am, by nature, a very happy and optimistic person. I have loved being a physician my entire career. I love patients and patient care. I loved every aspect of my job, but I was struggling. I was sad, crying a lot. I thought it was grief over the death of a beloved friend. Or just being tired. Or menopause. My physician director came to me and told me she thought I was burnt out and I should take some time off. Of course I refused. I insisted I wasn’t burnt out. We agreed to freeze my schedule and see how the next few months went. They did not go well. I became impatient and short tempered. I would be listening to a patient’s complaints and in my head I just wanted them to stop talking, and it was getting worse.

Luckily, I attended a medical conference and went to a lecture about burnout. As I sat in the lecture listening to resident physicians discuss their experiences with burnout, I realized I had every single symptom they were discussing. I cried through the entire lecture. It rocked me to my core. I started searching for advice on what to do, but I could not find anything about treatment for burnout. I called the physician director who advised time off to rest. I stopped working for two months. It helped. I felt rested. No more anger. No more impatience. I didn’t feel frustrated or mad. The only anxiety I had was being anxious to get back to work. I missed seeing patients and staff. I missed being in the operating room. I missed my colleagues. I went back to work with a shortened schedule to help prevent burnout. THIS WAS THE ONLY THING ANYONE KNEW TO DO TO HELP ME. The first month back was great. Second month, I was cruising along and feeling great. I loved the shortened schedule. Days were long but I worked less of them so weekends were so nice. By the third month back, fatigue was setting in again.

By the fourth month I knew something was wrong. I was feeling depressed, but I convinced myself I just needed a vacation. All this time, I was meeting regularly with the director weekly. I was told over and over that no treatment was available except lightening the load and resting. I took a vacation and it didn’t help. The depression worsened,

I was feeling desperate. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHO TO GO TO FOR HELP. I could feel myself spiraling out of control. It was different than what I had experienced before. The depression was worsening rapidly. I spent all my time away from work crying. I was withdrawing from everyone around me. Finally, I was at a medical staff meeting and the Ohio Professionals Health Program (OhioPHP) was brought up. There was a discussion about donating money. A physician I didn’t really know mentioned how important it was for us to support OhioPHP especially in light of physician burnout. I grasped onto that statement as a lifeline. I am so thankful to that physician and for that moment for-while what he said was just a general statement to the room for me it was a light. It was the first time I felt I had a place to turn to.

I knew of OhioPHP because early in my career I sat on a Physician Wellness board. I reviewed cases of physician problems and helped those physicians get the help they needed. The Ohio Professionals Health Program was a great resource for me and for our physicians. How had I not thought of this? But more than that, how had the hospital or the director not known to contact OhioPHP?

I called OhioPHP and they scheduled an appointment for me to come in and do an evaluation. From the moment I made the phone call, things changed. OhioPHP reached out to me almost daily by phone or by text. I was greeted with understanding and kindness. I no longer felt alone. By the time I went in for my evaluation, I knew I was in good hands. I was confident that I would be helped.

I was diagnosed as severely depressed with moderate anxiety. OhioPHP spent 4 hours with me that day. I was so relieved. For the first time in a very long time I felt hopeful. I felt I could get better. I felt I could get back to myself. One of the best things that happened that first day was making a commitment. I committed to following the OhioPHP program for 2 years. This was important because, just like every other patient, I wanted an instant fix, to snap my fingers and feel better. The two year commitment made me realize that this was a long road ahead.

I have now been involved with OhioPHP for 10 months. OhioPHP designed care for me that included finding a psychiatrist and psychologist near me as well as continued meetings with a counselor from OhioPHP. I was given books to read that helped me focus on mental and emotional strength. My depression is controlled. I have no anxiety and I am so happy, but I have retired from medicine.

There did not seem to be a road back to practicing again, but only because my burnout was not treated soon enough. If I had contacted OhioPHP sooner, I think I would still be practicing medicine.

Physician Burnout is real. I wanted to write my testimonial to help get the word out. There IS help available. If you are a physician or know a physician who is struggling, please, refer to OhioPHP. OhioPHP will evaluate the physician and design a program to help. Don’t wait until the burnout has taken away the career you love or the life you live.

OhioPHP saved my life and I am so very, very grateful.

Anonymous Physician

Practical Tips to Find Joy in Your Work

If you’re looking to rediscover joy in healthcare, consider these actionable steps:

1. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate the positive moments in your day, no matter how small. It could be a patient’s progress, a kind word from a colleague, or simply completing a challenging task.

2. Connect with Your “Why”: Reflect on what drew you to healthcare in the first place. Revisit that sense of purpose by volunteering, mentoring, or exploring aspects of your work that bring you the most satisfaction.

3. Build Supportive Relationships: Feeling supported and connected increases our sense of well-being and can decrease burnout.

4. Engage in Gratitude: Write down three things that went well today and why, every night for 1 week. See the positive effects!

5. Seek Meaningful Feedback: Ask patients or colleagues for feedback about your impact. Hearing how you’ve made a difference can be a powerful reminder of the value of your work. Another helpful reminder is therapy is always a good idea! Check out our blog post on how to find a therapist: https://www.ohiophp.org/post/help-i-am-looking-for-a-therapist-but-where-do-i-find-one

Joy in medicine isn’t just a possibility—it’s a necessity. By embracing resilience, celebrating small victories, and fostering supportive connections, you can rekindle your passion and thrive in your career. As we step into a new year, let’s commit to finding joy, supporting one another, and remembering why we chose this incredible field.